World Cup fantasy football squads are build across the globe as football fans prepare for a feast of football across North America this summer.
Set to begin on June 11, the world’s most prestigious tournament is back, and will take place three host countries - the United States, Mexico and Canada. The biggest tournament in it’s history, 48 nations will to compete for the ultimate prize.
A host of the sports’ biggest stars are available to pick in your fantasy football squad. However, with a budget of €100 million, making sure you choose the right names is paramount to your household bragging rights!
Starting to to build your fantasy team and finding it difficult to narrow down where to spend big, where to save, and who the biggest bargains are? Having a dilemma over where to save money, and where to spend it? Which defenders will offer you a potential goal bonus, and which can virtually guarantee you a clean sheet in the group stages?
Luckily for you, there’s no need to panic over your team selection, as we’ve put together a list of the must pick defenders and budget option centre-backs that will fit each and every throughout the group stage.
Here are 8 of the best defenders that will fit every World Cup 2026 Fantasy Football budget this summer:
5. Nico O'Reilly - England - 4.7m
Virtually guarantee to start in the tournament as the Three Lions’ first-choice left-back, the Manchester City youngster has shown his ability to create from deep with nine goals and six assists at the Etihad this season. England are expected to top the group, and O’Riley should bag you some valuable early points at a reasonable enough price. | Getty Images
6. Cesar Montes - Mexico - 4.7m
A guaranteed starter in the back four for Mexico, the co-hosts have a favourable set of opening fixtures, where they'll be favourites against South Africa and South Korea. A highly passionate and loud home support will roar them through the games, and Montes offers potential clean sheet and goal bonuses, with the 29-year-old scoring four times for Lokomotiv Moscow this past season. | Getty Images
7. Kieran Tierney - Scotland - 4.3m
While it may seem more sensible to choose Scotland captain Andy Robertson due to his more obvious attacking threat, it can't be underestimated how much of a weapon Tierney has been down the left-hand side for Celtic this season. With Haiti up in the first game, Steve Clarke's side will be expected to attack more, so picking a Scotland player, at least for the first match, might not be a bad idea. Scored six and assisted 12 at Celtic Park this season, so why not save some cash and stick him in as a budget-friendly option? | AFP via Getty Images
8. Achraf Hakimi - Morocco - 6m
Definitely an expensive, high-end option - but for good reason. The Paris Saint-Germain full-back takes Morocco's penalties, free kicks and corners, meaning he could score some serious points for your team in the group stages of the tournament. They'll face Brazil, Scotland and Haiti in Group C, and it would be no surprise if they emerged victorious in all three games, meaning Hakimi has potential for clean sheet points, too. | Getty Images